The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-02-10

elected By . small majority General Massie
commenced the business Of contestiug elections
which has since been 90 popular IN Ohio, by
claiming thst Meiss was ineligible, under the
constitution, by reason Of his temporary ab-
sencs from the State, the pretense being that
return to become citizen. The contest was
carried before the Lsgislatufe, and that re.
markable body decided that colonel keigs
was Ineligible 70 The ofice, ana that Genseal
Msssie was duly elected 0ovefnor Of ne sssts
Massie wanted the once, and no doubt felt
that his distinguished services entitled him to
It but he would not accept It when his antago-
mist had majority of the popular vote, SO with
the verdict of the General Assembly as his sol.
ace, he declined to become Governor, and Mcigs
was inaugurated. .s v,
After this event he maintained interest in
public affairs, and as often % he could spare
the time from his private affairs he was elected
to the Legislaturo from Ross County. III
General Massie's stirring and useful life closed
on the I'd day OF November 1873. He wis
buried on his farm, but in June, 1870, his
remains and those Of his wife we're removed to
the beautiful Upland Cemetery, overlooking the
city Of Chillicothe. where rest oil the ilustrious
dead Of Ohio's first capital.
General Massie's oldest son, who bears his
fathers name. is still living at an advanced age,
in Hillsboro, Highland County. n. n r7, "a -
The lives Of the people who Mved IN Chilli
cothe and Ross County (so called in honor Of
Hon. jas. Ross, who was o candidate on the
Federalist ticket for Governor Of Pennsylvania
when the county was organized in 1881 were
not unlike those who settled In other parts of
the Northwest Territory ninety years or 10 ago.
The pioneers who came to Chilicothe were from
Kentucky and Virginia They came in two
companies in the spring Of 1906. When Colonel
Msssie laid out the town Of Chillicothe he gave
each Of the FIRST settlers lot, and BY the end OF
the year 1798, about twenty cabins were erected,
and within . few months ferry across the
Scioto was established at the north terminus OF
Walnut street. The emigrants had brought
some corn-meal with them, but after It was con.
sumed they had to pound their corn in mortars
and II was then mixed with bears oil and made
into kind of bread.
Whisky played an important part in new
countries then % now. When Chillicothe was
first laid out whisky was o scarce article and an
expensive one, the price being four dollars and
fifty cents gallon In the spring Of 1877, when
the keelboats began to come up the Scioto
river, Monongahela whisky was sent to the
young colony in such quantities that the supply
exceeded the demand and the price dropped ia
fifty cents garlon, and tn community at once
took advantage of the cheap whisky and discon
tinued the general use Of water as o beverage
An observer who was living at this time in Chill
licothe writes: "Men women and children with
some exceptions, drank freely, and many who
had been respectable and temperate became in
ebriates. Many Of General Wayne's soldier
and camp followers settled In the town. so tha,
for q time 1t became o town of drunkards and Q
sink Of corruption"
But this period Of depravity soon reached its
lowest point. A revolution took place, better
order ensued and crimes were suppressed and
offenders punished.
The story is told of man named Brannon